Tooth-brush.



G. 0. ENGSTROM.

TOOTH BRUSH.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 22. 1912.

Patented May 19, 1914.

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` CARL O. ENGSTRO-IL, OFSACRAMENTQ, CALIFORNIA. i

' :room- BRUSH To all fr0/0m 'it may concern Be it known that I, CARL O.EnGs'rnoM, a citizen of the United States, residing at .Sacra-mento, in`the county of` Sacramento andState of California, have invented certainnew and useful Improvementsin Tooth-Brushes, of which the following is aspecification.

Heretofore it has been the practice 1n using a tooth-brush, for thedislodgment of operate the brush with a. reciprocating motion from the'cuspids to the molars and vice-versa, which 'action often injures the.

gingival margin of the gingiva, allowing the food particles to enterunder the gingival.

space, causing the same to decay and irritating the gingiva.

The present invention relates to an 1mproved tooth-brushparticularlydesigned tobe employed in connection with an advanced methodof cleaning the teeth of food particles which consists in operating 'thebrush with an oscillating movement of the bristles, the bristlesx'whenin their upward movement removing food particles from the lowerteetlnand when in their downward movement removing food .particles fromthe upper teeth, the bristles always being drawn over the surface of theteeth in the direction of extension of the gingival marginso as 'not toforce food accumulation under the gum margin.

' The principal object of the present invention is to provide atooth-brush with a plurality' of spaced rows of bristles converging attheir" outer ends to conform to the buccal surfaces of the teeth, and toprovide a flow of water between said 'rows of bristles` to moisten theparts and assist in `dislodging particles of food matter from the teethbeforev the same are subjected to the action y .of the bristles.

Another and importantA object is to provide a handle for the tooth-brushwhich extends at right angles to the bristle holding portion, whichmaterially assists in the proper manipulation of the brush.

The invention consists, broadly, i-n combination with a tooth-brushprovided with spaced rows of bristles converging at the forward end ofthe bristle supporting back,

a water conduit arranged longitudinally of the brush and provided wit-hopenings communicating with the ,space between the bristles, a tubularconnection with said Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led October 22, 1912. Serial No. 727,133.

Patented May 19, 1914.

water conduity and adapted to be connected to a source of Huid supplyand a handle fon said brush arranged at right angles to the plane ofthel bristle supporting portion.`

lVitli the above' mentioned and other objects in View, the inventionconsists inthe novel construction and 'combination of parts hereinaftermore fully described, illustrated 1n the accompanying drawings, andpointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the accompanying drawings Figure lis a bottom plan view with thebristles removed, disclosing the grooves for retaining v the brush backsinv position,- the means for retaining the brush backs in the grooves,the water conduit extending longitudinally of the handle, 'and theopenings from said conduit between the rows of bristles. Fig. 2

.is a side elevation of myimpr'oved brush,

disclosing the ,shape of the handle, and in dotted-lines disclosing theconduit therein. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of theAbrush-head 'disclosing the shape of the slots 'for receiving 'the brushbacks and with Ithe bristles mounted therein. Fig. 4 is a bottom planview of Va modified formof-brush with the bristles secured to the brushhead. Fig. 5 is a view of the manner of operating the brush whencleaning the upper teeth.' Fig. 6 is a view ofthe manner of operatingthe brush when 'cleaning the lower teeth.

Referring more particularly to the dra-w' ings, the reference numeral ldesignates a brush head provided With side walls converging toward theouter end thereof and from the inner end of said head extendsa handle 2,the faces of which are arranged vat right angls vto the plane of thehead, and

said head is provided on its under face With spaced dovet-ailed grooves3 converging toward the outer end ofthe head and arranged adjacent theedges of the head and which communicate with the outer end of the'headas at 4. Removably mounted in said grooves 3 arci-brush backs 5having outwardly Haring'side walls and in said backs 5 are secured inany suitable manner tufts of bristles 6 preferably arranged in a singlerow.` The brush backs" are detachably secured 'inthe grooves 3 by an endcap 7 secured over theouter end of the brush head by a retaining` screw8, and said cap 7 'closes the ends 4 of the grooves 3. Interiorly ofthehandle 2 i and head port-ion 1v isha water conduit 9 which extendslongitudinally of theV center thereof'from the rear end of the handleand gers on one terminatesshort of the extreme end of the openings 9which diminish in size from the. of the head, and said.

outer uo the inner end openings communicate with the interior of saidwater conduit 9. Removably secured over the end of the handle is aflexible tubing 10 preferably formed of -rubber and the opposite endthereof is adapted to be connected in any suitable manner to awaterspigot.

In the use of the device, the tubing 10 is attached over a suitablewater-spigot, whereupon an even stream of water will flow from theopenings 9, owing to their increase in size toward the end of thechannel. The user after inserting the brush in the mouth grasps the flathandle thereof with the iinface and the thumb at the other, giving thesame an oscillatory movement, and in the downward stroke, as in Fig. 5,the first row of bristles will be moved downwardly over the surface ofthe teeth, the stream of Huid issuing from the openings 9 will meistenthe teeth and then the second row of bristles will be moved downwardlyover the surface of the teeth removing all particles of foreign matternot removed by the first row of bristles and moistened, but not removedby the flow of fluid. On the upward oscillation of the brush, as in Fig.6, the above operation will take place only in an upward direct-ion. Inneither movement of the .brush will the gingival margin of the teethbeing cleaned be removed from its normal place or disturbedin anymanner. It will be observed that by arranging the rows of bristles sothat the same converge toward the front end of the back and the backshaped as above described, that a receding exit for the fluid, togetherwith the matter removedl from the teeth, is provided, and when the brushis in use,the fluid together with the foreign particles removed from theteeth will flow toward the lips and be readily discharged from themouth. It will also be observed that 'by constructing the brush back asabove described andarranging the bristles at an inclination toward Vtheouter end of the brush head, that the shape of the brush will conformtothe buccal surfaces of the teeth.

Inv providing removable bristles for the brush, the same may be readilyreplaced when worn out, and one handle and Abrush vhead will suffice fora great length of time.

In the modification disclosed in Fig. 4, the rows of bristles arearranged as above described but are secured directly to the brush head 1as at l1.

' Having thus described my invention what is claimed as new and isdesired to be protected by Letters Patent is 1. A tooth-brush of thecharacter described, comprising a brush-head and a handle extendingtherefrom, a pair of spaced rows of bristles secured to said brush-headand the same converging toward the outer end of said head, a passageextending longitudinally through said handle portion and terminatingshort of the outer end of said brush-head, and said brush-head providedwith openings communicating with said passage and arranged between saidrows of bristles, substantially as described.

2. A tooth-brush of the character described, comprising a brush-head anda'handle extending therefrom, a pair of spaced rows of bristles carriedby brush-backs removably mounted in guides formed in said brush-head andthe same converging toward the outer end of said head, a passage eX-tending longitudinally through 'said handle portion and terminatingshortvofathe outer end of said brush-head, and'sadbrush-head providedwith openings communicating with said passa-ge and arranged between saidrows of bristles, substantially as described.

3. A tooth-brush of the character described. comprising a brush-head, asubstantiallv fiat handle extending therefrom and the faces thereofarranged at right angles to the plane of said brush-head, said headprovided with in, the same arranged adjacent the side edges thereof andconverging toward the outer ends, brush-backs removably secured in saidgrooves and provided on one face with for retamlng said brush` bristles,means backs in said grooves, a passage extending lrmgitudinallv throughsaid handle portion and terminating short of the outer end of saidbrush-head, and said brush-head provided with openings communicatingwithl said passage and arranged between said rows of bristles,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARL O. ENGSTROM.

Witnesses:

N. A. ACKER, A. K. DAGGETT.

